November 16, 2012
Cobb, Irvine celebrate 50th anniversary in Hannover, Germany
Press release
Over 120 guests from the global poultry industry attended the 50-year association between Cobb and Irvine's in Zimbabwe at Hannover this week.
In presenting David Irvine with a commemorative plaque, Jerry Moye, president of Cobb-Vantress, said the company greatly valued its relationship with its distributors and spoke of the great success of the Irvine family in sustaining and growing their business during the many difficulties they had faced during those 50 years.
Moye said the two companies shared similar values centred on treating team members with respect and providing strong service to their respective customer bases. He also emphasised the 'family' atmosphere that both Cobb and the Irvine's create with their employees, customers and communities.
The original agreement was signed by John Knowles, co-founder of Cobb in the UK, with David's father Bill in the former country of Rhodesia. Knowles, who moved out of the poultry industry to found Marwell Zoo, spoke in a video message of the 'heroic' efforts that the Irvine's had made to develop their business through troubled times for Zimbabwe.
David Irvine spoke of how the business has developed from the early years. Today through Cobb Africa Irvine's are selling Cobb parent stock in 16 countries across sub-Saharan Africa where Cobb is the dominant breed. Now the Irvine's business is not only contributing to food production in Zimbabwe and the region but also housing 800 families, providing primary school education for 800 pupils and running two clinics.
